Peter's Descent
by JailyForever
Summary: We all know where Peter Pettigrew ended up, but how did he get there? What turned the Marauder into a traitor?


**Many thanks to Liza for giving this the once over.**

 **Chocolate Frog:** Bonus – Ottaline Gambol – Challenge – Use the location of the Hogwarts Express in your story

 **Gringotts:** Galavant Season 1: Episode 1 – (Plot/Action) Telling Jokes, (Word) Please, (Word) Animal, (Emotion) Hope; Galavant Season 1: Episode 2 – (Word) Journey, (Plot/Action) Travelling; Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog – (Feeling/Emotion) Shock, (Word) Hope, (Word) Way, (Word) Strong; Charmed Season 1: Episode 17 – (Word) Bond ; Jane Austin: Pride and Prejudice – (Emotion) Longing, (Action) Walking; Jane Austin: Persuasion – (Location) On a boat, (Emotion) Joy; Jane Austin: Emma – (Emotion) Worry; Miranda Season 1: Episode 1 – (Plot/Action) Pushing someone, (Plot/Action) Lying whilst nervous, (Word) Joke, (Word) Shock

 **Word Count:** 2903

* * *

Hatstall

Peter clung to his mother's hand as they walked along the platform towards the train. He could feel the eyes of the other children around them, and almost hear their silent snickers as they passed by.

"Mum, I don't want to go," Peter whispered quietly. "Can't I stay at home and learn from you?"

His mother stopped dead in her tracks and bent down in front of him.

"No Peter, I'm afraid you can't," she said softly. "Hogwarts is where you must go. It is a fantastic school, and you will learn more there than you could ever hope to learn from me or your father. It will be the best experience of your life, and you will make so many friends."

Peter bit his bottom lip. "But what if I don't? What if the other children are mean to me?"

"That could never happen my beautiful boy," she told him, kissing him on the forehead and drawing him into her arms. "You are one of the kindest and gentlest people I know, and when the other children see that, they will want to be your friend."

Peter nodded his head, knowing that his mother would never lie to him.

"I'll miss you, mum," he murmured in her ear. "I'll write to you every day."

"I'll miss you too, Peter," she answered, just as the clock struck five to eleven.

Peter's mum released him from her embrace and stood up

"Now hurry up and find yourself a seat," she instructed him, nudging him towards the train.

"Yes mother," he answered, offering her a weak smile before picking up his trunk and carrying it towards The Hogwarts Express.

~o~o~

Peter tapped on the small glass window of the compartment where three boys who looked to be about his age were sat. They were talking animatedly about something or other, and the nervous eleven year old thought that they looked nice enough.

He hoped that his assumption would be correct. He had been traipsing up and down the train with his trunk for the last ten minutes trying to find somewhere to sit, and everyone else he had found the courage to ask had brutally rebuffed him.

But there was something about this trio that seemed different. He couldn't quite place his finger on what it was, but he had a strong feeling that they would welcome him warmly enough.

The boy closest to the window had a long narrow face, and the messiest jet black hair that Peter had ever seen in his life. His face was lit up with amusement, and his shoulders shook as he laughed.

Next to him sat a boy with an equally amused look on his face. He too had black hair, although his was a little longer. He had classic good looks for someone so young, and Peter felt quite insignificant just looking at him.

Across from them sat another boy. Unlike the other two, he appeared older than his years, and looked as though he had been through the mill quite a few times. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his smile didn't quite reach the same heights as those of his two companions. Peter immediately felt for the boy, and wondered what could possibly have happened to him.

When he realised that the boys hadn't heard his first knock, Peter tapped on the glass of the compartment door again, this time a little louder than before.

The boy with the messy black hair and glasses snapped his head towards the door and motioned with his hand for Peter to slide it open.

"Hey, ummm, can I join you guys?" he asked quietly, his eyes never leaving the ground. "There's no room anywhere else."

The three boys exchanged a look, and to Peter, who briefly lifted his eyes from the floor, it appeared as though they were having a silent conversation. Peter found this quite intriguing; these boys couldn't have known each other for more than twenty minutes, and they already had such a bond. He found himself wanting to be a part of this more than anything he had wanted in his life so far.

"Of course you can," the brown haired boy said. "My name's Remus Lupin, and these two jokers are James Potter and Sirius Black. What's your name?"

The young boy raised his head, and smiled gratefully at the boy he hoped he would soon be able to call his friend. "Peter," he replied quietly, "Peter Pettigrew."

"Well Peter, pull up a seat," the boy named Remus told him, shifting closer to the window and patting his hand on the space next to him.

"We were just discussing which house we'd like to be sorted into. Sirius here is hoping for anything but Slytherin," James told him, slapping his friend on the back.

"Or Hufflepuff. Don't want to be in that stoner house. I think my mother would crucify me if I ended up there," Sirius joked freely, throwing his head back in laughter. "Then again she'd probably do that if I ended up in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor too. She wants me to carry on the long standing tradition of being sorted into Slytherin. I guess whichever way you look at it I'm screwed. So Peter, what are you hoping for?"

Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had never been asked what he wanted before in his life. Ever since he had been old enough to walk his father had instilled the notion of you get what you're given, and you either like it or lump it.

"I don't know. Never really thought about it much," Peter answered quietly as he gazed out of the window and watched the countryside rush by.

"Well think about it," James urged, tapping him on the ankle with his foot.

Peter bit his bottom lip in contemplation as he thought about what he already knew about each of the houses.

There was Gryffindor – the house of the bold, the brave and the courageous. Peter had a feeling he wouldn't fit in very well there. He had a hard enough time standing up to the Muggles at his old school, it didn't bear thinking about what he would be like in a duel.

There was Ravenclaw – the house that valued intelligence and wit. He wasn't exactly thick but he definitely wasn't the brightest spark, however if push came to shove it was a better fit for him that Gryffindor.

There was Slytherin – the house that his mother had been sorted into during her time at Hogwarts and had a dark reputation. It was a house that valued cunning and ambition. Ambition Peter knew he had in abundance, but he was far from cunning. He didn't think he wanted to be in this house.

And then there was Hufflepuff – the house that was frequently said to take anyone. Yes this was the house where Peter belonged, but was it the house he wanted to be sorted into? Hell no!

"Gryffindor," Peter said with a smile, echoing what the other three boys had stated they wanted.

The other three boys gave Peter a grin and began to chatter about their various hobbies, likes and dislikes. The current topic of conversation was about Remus' love of playing the piano, and his favourite composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Peter settled into his seat as he listened to the three boys joke around comfortably with each other for the rest of the train journey, occasionally including him in their banter. He hoped that he ended up in the same house as at least one of them; it would make it easier for him to make other friends that way. All throughout his primary school days he had had a notoriously difficult time making friends with other children, although that was partly to do with the fact that he had always known he was different and they could tell too. He was always left out and bullied by them. Peter truly hoped that being amongst his own kind would change all of that.

~o~o~

After what felt like no time at all, the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station and Peter felt his anxiety start to build.

What if this was the last encounter he had with the boys he was sure he could now call his friends?

Would they still spend time together if they were placed into different houses?

Peter doubted that they would, and as he disembarked the train with them he was more determined than ever to be in the same house as the three boys.

"Firs' years follow me," a voice called. "This way to the boats."

Peter's eyes widened as he looked in the direction of the voice and saw a giant.

"Wow, he's huge," he gasped.

"That's Hagrid," Sirius murmured to him. "He's the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds. My idiot of cousin, Bellatrix, once called him a bumbling buffoon amongst other things, so he's alright in my books already."

Remus and James started laughing, and not wanting to look like an idiot or lose any face in front of the trio of boys, Peter joined in as they made their way towards the boats with their fellow first years.

The journey across the lake was a quick and fascinating one for Peter. His eyes never left the castle as it grew from a miniscule figure in the distance into something large and daunting. As the boat that he was sharing with Remus, Sirius, and James hit the shore, it finally hit Peter that this was the place he would be calling home for the next seven years.

The giant, Hagrid, led them into the castle and up several flights of uneven stone stairs, and finally took them out into a large entrance hall at the bottom of grand staircase.

"Got the new firs' years for you Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said to the woman waiting for them.

"Thank you Hagrid," she answered in a cordial voice. "I'll take them from here."

As soon as Hagrid was out of sight, Professor McGonagall turned to them and addressed them all with a stern expression on her face. In this moment, Peter realised that she was not someone you wanted to cross.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said warmly. "The start-of-term banquet will begin momentarily, however before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses."

Professor McGonagall swept her eyes across the group of children before continuing her speech.

"The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend your free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

Peter felt the familiar anxiety over which house he could be placed into bubble back to the surface. He didn't know where he would be placed, just that he wanted to be with the three boys next to him.

"Each house has its own noble history and has produced many outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, but any rule-breaking will lose house points."

Peter heard James and Sirius let out a quiet snicker, and Professor McGonagall's head snapped towards them, shooting the four of them a disapproving look.

"At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, which I can assure you is a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all use this time to smarten yourselves up, and I will return when we are ready for you," she concluded. "Please wait quietly."

As soon as Professor McGonagall was out of sight, James nudged him to get his attention.

"She seems like a stick in the mud, doesn't she?" James laughed. "I hope the other teachers here aren't so prim and… uptight"

"You're right," Peter agreed, nodding his head. "She reminds me of my Grandmother Pettigrew."

The trio of boys surrounding him snorted with laughter, and Peter found himself feeling proud of the fact that he had been able to make them chuckle.

"Ooh la-di-da, I'm Professor McGonagall," Sirius sang, straightening up his back. "Smarten yourself up. No rule breaking. You there—detention."

Peter, along with his new friends, roared with laughter as Sirius continued to impersonate the woman who could possibly be their head of house.

"Sirius," Remus hissed tapping him on the shoulder.

"Oh I can't wait to ruffle a few of her feathers, and—"

Someone behind the quartet cleared their voice.

"When you are quite finished," Professor McGonagall said with a frown on her face, "we're ready for you."

"Yes Ma'am," James and Sirius responded in unison, saluting the Professor and earning a quiet chuckle from Peter.

Professor McGonagall spun around on the spot, and proceeded to push the double doors in front of her open, leading the group of first years into the Great Hall.

Peter's eyes widened as he took in the ceiling of the grand dining hall. It was as though he was looking up at the night sky; it was a deep blue, with small twinkling stars. Peter felt as though he had stepped into an alternate universe.

"Peter move," a voice whispered in his ear at the same time hand nudged his shoulder.

Peter felt his face flush as he realised that since entering the Great Hall his feet hadn't moved, and the eyes of every other student were on him. He felt like an animal in a zoo and he didn't like it one bit.

He bowed his head to the floor, and began to shuffle forward with his fellow first years knowing that, if he wasn't placed in the same house as James, Sirius and Remus, in no time at all he would be alone and friendless again.

Peter shifted from foot to foot as he watched Sirius, Remus, and finally James be sorted into Gryffindor. With each passing moment, he felt his chances of being sorted into the same house as the trio diminish.

"Peter Pettigrew," Professor McGonagall called.

He inhaled slowly before shuffling towards the Professor and the stool at the front of the Great Hall. With every step he took, he felt as though at any moment his jelly-like legs would buckle beneath him, and he would collapse to the ground.

He didn't know how, but he managed to reach the stool without making a fool of himself, and as he sat down he saw the trio he had met on the train give him thumbs up.

 _Please let me be sorted into Gryffindor,_ he thought to himself as the hat was lowered onto his head.

" _Difficult, very difficult,"_ the hat mused. _You have a cunning and determined nature that would be an excellent fit for Slytherin, but you have an adventurous and brave side that makes you perfect for Gryffindor._

Peter's eyes widened with shock. The Sorting Hat was considering him for both Gryffindor, and Slytherin – the two houses he had felt that he would fit into the least.

" _Hmm, where to place you though. This is most difficult,"_ the hat continued.

Peter's eyes flickered between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. He knew where he wanted to be; he wanted to be at the Gryffindor table with the three boys who had warmly embraced him, and not with the Slytherins, especially after all the things he had heard Sirius tell him on the train.

It took Peter a few moments to realise that he had been sat on the stool almost twice as long as every other student sorted so far.

 _Please don't put me in Slytherin,_ Peter silently begged, as the Sorting Hat began to list all the reasons why he belonged in the aforementioned house.

" _Well if you're sure, better be,"_ the hat started, and Peter held his breath as he heart pounded in his chest, _"GRYFFINDOR!"_

Peter let out a sigh of relief, and jumped up from the stool. He slowly and confidently walked towards the Gryffindor table and seated himself next to Remus.

"What took so long?" Sirius asked immediately.

Peter pondered what he should say. He couldn't very well tell them that the hat had considered placing him in Slytherin – the house that they had been bashing on the train, it would almost certainly cost him his new friends.

"The hat was torn over where to put me," Peter eventually answered, hoping and praying that they would not ask him the inevitable question of which other house he had been considered for.

"And?" James asked.

"It thought about putting me in—Hufflepuff," Peter lied, surprising himself at how easily it slipped out.

"I bet you're relieved it settled on Gryffindor," Sirius laughed. "Three cheers for not being in the stoner house!"

Remus and James quickly joined in with Sirius' laughter, whilst Peter breathed a quiet, "Yeah," before following the trio lead and letting out a nervous chuckle.

After the feast had ended, Peter walked towards his new dormitory thinking about how nice it was to finally have real friends, and he knew that he would do anything at all to keep them.

 **A/N:**

 **So this is hopefully going to be the start of a multi-chapter**

 **I would very much love to hear your thoughts and opinions.**

 **If there is anything you think that needs working out, please don't hesitate to tell me.**

 **xoxo**


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